While the na "Thieves Den" was unofficial, it carried a certain logic behind it. As the ten of them began levitating into the air, Arthur gained a better understanding of the enemy forces they were up against.
For most of their ascent, Koby had to navigate through the trees to ensure they remained unseen. However, even the tallest tree had its limits, and beyond that point, they risked being spotted.
"I used to be in the Scouts Division," ntioned one of the six soldiers, a tanned young man with three scars running across his face. "I can bend light around us, making us blend into the surroundings."
Arthur felt grateful for the presence of these n. Most of them belonged to either the Scout Division or the Golden Division, making them reliable in various aspects.
Light bent in unnatural ways around them, creating a marble-like sphere that blended seamlessly with the cloudy sky. However, this prevented them from seeing below them, a problem solved by another mber who directed Koby using his detection skills.
"Is there a task for this ti as well?" asked Dorian, surprisingly devoid of his usual arrogance, which caught Arthur's attention. Upon closer examination, Arthur noted that Dorian appeared calr than when they first t.
"Did sothing happen?" Arthur asked, genuinely concerned. Although he wished for Dorian's maturation, it was occurring at an alarming rate, and Arthur feared it might twist his perspective. "We didn't fight again for you to owe a favor."
"...because I know I would lose," admitted Dorian, tightening his grip on his spear as he turned toward Arthur. "I lose every ti I hesitate about fighting you. This cowardice is... humiliating."
Arthur understood the reason behind this sudden transformation in the arrogant man. Being in Arthur's company humbled Dorian with every passing mont. Even if he wished to flaunt his strength, which was by no ans insignificant, Arthur's presence made him appear inadequate.
"You're not a coward," Arthur assured him with a smile. "Knowing which battles are worth fighting is a form of wisdom. Strong n don't engage in hopeless battles; otherwise, we'd never see any of them. Take your ti to train and challenge when you're ready."
"...is there any chance of that happening?" Dorian inquired with genuine curiosity rather than despair. Arthur studied the furrowing of his square eyebrows above sincere eyes and couldn't bring himself to lie.
"Anything is possible, but given who I am... no, you don't stand a chance against ," Arthur stated as humbly as he could, but Dorian suddenly burst into laughter. Arthur watched him with intrigue as the man's laughter echoed through the sky.
"I wouldn't have believed you if you said otherwise!" Dorian exclaid, slapping his knee before standing up with his spear. He then aid his weapon at Arthur, though devoid of any hostility; instead, he reverted to his usual deanor. "I can't defeat you now, Alexie! But if defeating you were easy, I'd be bored!"
"...does the impossibility of the challenge excite you?" Arthur mused, sporting a similar grin as his golden eyes glowed with a similar, unknown excitent.
"My na is Dorian Stormblade," the arrogant man announced with his spear pointed toward Arthur. "I'm the man who will one day conquer everything beneath this blue sky! But before I do that, I'll defeat you!"
The other soldiers turned toward them with confusion and unease, as their voices had grown too loud. Arthur gazed into Dorian's hazel-colored eyes and saw the beastly excitent for glory within them. His overflowing self-confidence made Arthur wonder how this man might eventually surpass him.
"I apologize, but no matter how much I ponder it, I am the one destined to conquer the heavens," Arthur asserted, emitting an overbearing aura. Dorian's hand shook as it held the spear, but his grin remained intact. "You are nothing more than a character in my story, Dorian Stormblade."
"How strange it is for to feel the sa way," Dorian remarked, his face devoid of fear as he waved his spear and set it aside. "Until the day I beco strong enough to defeat you, no one else is allowed to do so!"
"I will not be defeated by anyone, ever," Arthur declared, his grin oozing with excitent as he rose from the ground. "As long as you don't get flattened by my overwhelming presence, I'll be glad to wait for you."
The two n shook hands as their overpowering spirits seed to collide in the sky above Thieves Den. By the ti their exchange concluded, they were almost at their destination.
"Are they always like this?" one of the soldiers whispered to Joey, casting a curious glance at the two n who were laughing heartily. "I heard rumors about the young lord being a hotheaded youth, but Alexie seems no different."
"No different?" Joey echoed, glancing at the pair. "In my opinion, Alexie is far worse than Dorian. Dorian is just a cat who ows occasionally, but Alexie is a tiger that sleeps most of the ti."
"Is he stronger?" the soldier asked with confusion, taking a double look at the lean man who appeared anything but threatening. "He seems as young as my boy."
"You'd do well not to compare him to your child, or you'll be sorely disappointed," Joey replied with a grin. "Just know this: This division needs Alexie more than he needs us."
Although the man still seed unconvinced and slightly offended, he refrained from saying anything further. The group reached their destination just as the tanned scout dispelled his light-bending ability. As they looked down, they found themselves directly atop the mountain's summit.
"Release the signal," Arthur ordered, gazing down at the summit. As the soldier followed his orders without hesitation, Arthur turned to Koby, who appeared as shriveled as an old branch. "You didn't disappoint , Koby."
"I'm not done yet," the one-ard man said as he rose, clutching his shoulder. "I still want to be part of this battle."
"It won't be necessary, but I'd like you to take care of so of the weaker bandits to earn so reward points," Arthur said, patting the man's shoulder. "You've already done more than enough."
After the signal was released, battle cries echoed in the distance. The three lieutenants charged down one of the main roads and engaged an unaware group of bandits patrolling the mountain. Bells rang, and runic lines appeared in a do around the entire mountain.
"As expected, there's a powerful array surrounding the mountain," Dorian observed, swirling his spear in the air several tis as he prepared to jump. "There's only one way to find out what this array does."
"Don't rush in, Dorian," Arthur cautioned, frowning as he examined the array. "These runic lines are connected to the artifact. I believe that the mont you step into the array, it will trigger an explosion."
As soon as Arthur's words reached their ears, a deafening explosion shook the sky, tearing through the clouds. The soldiers looked down and saw the explosion emanating from the lieutenants' location, filling them with horror.
"Our lieutenants were hit! We need to descend and—" one of the soldiers began, attempting to jump in their direction, but Arthur grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
"What are you doing?" the soldier protested.
"It was their mission to lure out the artifact user, and they succeeded," Arthur said, his expression cold as he looked down at the agitated soldier. "If you can't even fulfill your sole mission, then you're not fit to be a soldier."
His stern words shocked the group, but they also stirred determination in them. Each soldier began scanning for the artifact user responsible for the attack on their lieutenants, but their efforts proved fruitless.
"There's nothing down there, Alexie," Joey reported, frowning as he searched for anything suspicious. "I thought the artifact user would use the mountain's summit as a vantage point, but no one is there."
"That's because the bandits are aware of our plan," Arthur surmised, raising his head toward the sky. "There's sothing descending from above."
A massive portal suddenly materialized in the sky above them, raining down a thousand arrows, followed by a thousand more. As the arrows descended toward the group, each one lit up with runic lights.
"Each of them has a bomb," Arthur muttered with terrifying calm as the rest of the soldiers began to panic. "Our plan has sohow been compromised, or these bandits are more than they appear. Either way, we're facing the worst-case scenario."
"This is no ti for a monologue!" one of the soldiers shouted, rushing toward Koby and grabbing the mage by his single arm. He shouted at Koby, trying to pull him away. "Mage, get us out of here!"
"Don't interrupt our squad leader," Koby said coldly, slapping the soldier's hand away. "If he's calm, why aren't you?"
"That's my disciple," Arthur comnted with a grin as he took a step forward, golden mana erupting from his body like flas. "The worst-case scenario involves stepping in and ending them. But this scenario will befall them, not us."
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